The Aquarist’s Edge [Weekly Aquarium Podcast]

Clown Loach Care Guide 101

In this episode of The Aquarist’s Edge, we learn about the basics of care for the often-misunderstood Clown Loaches (Chromobotia macracanthus), covering everything from their natural habitat in Indonesian floodplains to their unique behaviours in the home aquarium. Whether you're housing juveniles or managing a mature shoal, you'll learn how to design the perfect tank, maintain ideal water conditions, feed for health and growth, prevent disease, and troubleshoot common problems. 

 

You can search for Care Guides episodes in your favourite podcast app or go take a look at the Aquarist Edge Care Guide episodes on YouTube: Care Guides (YouTube playlist)

 

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You Put It Where? How to Choose the Best Spot for Your Fish Tank

In this episode of The Aquarist’s Edge, we answer one of the most critical and misunderstood questions in fishkeeping: Where should you place your aquarium? With expert-level insights, we cover everything from structural safety and natural light to temperature stability, noise, and real-life home scenarios.

Whether you're setting up a nano tank or a 600-liter community display, this episode offers practical advice, troubleshooting solutions, and tips that will help you make the best decision for both you and your fish.

🗨️ Share your tank placement wins (or horror stories) by leaving a voice comment here: https://theaquaristsedge.podcastpage.io/contact

You can also leave a review on your podcast app. Thank you for taking a moment to help us out!

 

Episode music: 

Music track: November by Limujii Source: https://freetouse.com/music  Royalty Free Music for Videos (Safe)

Are We Also Guilty? Response to "The Dark Hobby" documentary film

The recently released documentary film entitled "Aquariums: The Dark Hobby" shines a light on the marine aquarium hobby's impact on Hawaii's reefs and the broader marine ecosystem. In this episode of The Aquarist’s Edge, we journey from marine coral reefs to freshwater riverbeds, uncovering what ethical, sustainable fishkeeping really means for freshwater aquarists. While marine hobbyists often face criticism, the freshwater world has its own victories—and its blind spots. We’ll explore the hidden carbon cost of our fishrooms, celebrate major breeding successes, and finish with several easy eco-friendly habits you can start this week to make a difference. No guilt trips - just practical wisdom and real-world examples to empower every hobbyist.

🌿 Don’t forget to leave a review and share your feedback: https://theaquaristsedge.podcastpage.io/episodes

Aquariums: The Dark Hobby documentary: https://aquariumsthedarkhobby.com/

 

Project Piaba - creating sustainable freshwater aquarium trade: https://projectpiaba.org/

Stunning Planted Tanks Without CO2

In this episode of The Aquarist’s Edge, we explore the art and science of building a vibrant planted aquarium without CO₂ injection. Learn how to choose the right plants, lighting, substrate, and layout strategies to create lush growth with minimal tech and maintenance.

Whether you're a beginner or an aquascaper on a budget, this episode will help you build a tank that thrives naturally and looks amazing doing it.

📝 Feedback link as mentioned in the episode: https://theaquaristsedge.podcastpage.io/contact

 

 

Guppy Genetics Made Simple

In this week’s episode of The Aquarist’s Edge, we’re taking the mystery out of guppy genetics and turning it into a clear, beginner-friendly guide for hobbyists who want to breed stunning guppies right at home. From dominant and recessive genes to punnett squares and strain development, this episode is packed with practical insights, scientific explanations, and real-world advice you can apply to your own tank.

Whether you’re curious why your fry don’t match the parents or you're ready to build your first breeding line, this is your go-to guide for understanding guppy heredity, trait tracking, and breeding strategy.

Arthur mentions Punnet Squares in this episode. You can read more about how to use these with your guppy breeding project here: https://artsfishroom.co.za/understanding-guppy-genetics-a-beginners-guide-to-punnett-squares/

Mentioned in this podcast: "Are Our Guppies Weak?"

Aquarium Salt Explained - Hidden Benefits, Dangerous Myths, How To Use It Safely

In this episode of The Aquarist’s Edge, we explore the use of aquarium salt - one of the most powerful, misunderstood tools in freshwater fishkeeping. From the science of osmoregulation to practical treatment techniques, we break down what salt does, when to use it, and when it can do more harm than good.

Whether you’re dealing with parasites, stress, nitrite spikes, or simply wondering if salt belongs in your tank at all, this episode is packed with insights, real-life examples, and myth-busting clarity for hobbyists at every level.

🧂 Learn how to dose correctly, avoid common pitfalls, and understand the physiology behind salt use in aquariums.

Share the podcast: https://theaquaristsedge.podcastpage.io

What Is Biofilm?

In this episode of The Aquarist’s Edge, we explore the slimy, often misunderstood layer of microbial life known as biofilm. We learn that is absolutely essential to the health and balance of your aquarium. From its critical role in biological filtration and nutrient cycling, to how it feeds shrimp, fry, and snails - we go deep into the science and practical applications of biofilm in both planted and non-planted setups.

Whether you're cycling a new tank or fine-tuning a shrimp colony, this episode has everything you need to master the art of biofilm.

 

10 Tips For Helping Cherry Shrimp Thrive

In today’s episode of The Aquarist’s Edge, we explore 10 incredibly useful tips for keeping your Cherry Shrimp healthy, colourful, and thriving. Whether you're starting a new colony or troubleshooting mysterious disappearances, this episode explores everything you need to know - from tank setup to feeding, water quality, breeding, and more.

You’ll also learn how to avoid common mistakes, spot hidden dangers, and master the art of keeping shrimp safe in your community aquarium.

 

📝 Leave a review and tell us how your Cherry Shrimp are doing: https://theaquaristsedge.podcastpage.io/reviews

 

🐟 Check out Art’s Fish Room for all your shrimp supplies: https://artsfishroom.co.za